Surveillance programmes

MPI is always looking for pests and diseases that might have arrived from overseas. Finding them early is vital for a successful response.

Why we do it

Routine surveillance ensures New Zealand is aware of which pests or diseases (organisms) are here and which are not. This knowledge serves 3 vital functions.

1. Assuring trade partners that New Zealand exports are safe.

Many countries require evidence that New Zealand's primary-sector goods will not carry pests or diseases to their shores. The best possible assurance we can give them is to prove those organisms don't live here – using rigorous and reliable science.

2. Responding to outbreaks.

Should a harmful pest or disease arrive in New Zealand, surveillance programmes give us early warning. By telling us what is here, and where it is, they allow us to mount a swift and coordinated response to eradicate or control an outbreak.

3. Understanding and controlling established pests and diseases.

When pests or diseases are established in New Zealand, we aim to understand them and, if possible, stop them from spreading around the country. Surveillance programmes tell us if harmful organisms are changing or moving, so we can manage the risks.

Our surveillance programmes also provide the data and expertise needed to conduct risk analyses and advise on import health standards. Those standards set out what can and can’t be imported into New Zealand.

The science behind surveillance

The Plant Health and Environment Laboratories in Auckland and Christchurch identify 1,000 diseases and 6,000 bugs a year. Read more>>

MPI also collaborates with overseas labs and uses approved private labs in New Zealand.

Spotting trends

MPI monitors vet laboratory submission data and reports from MPI's pest-and-disease hotline to identify trends in disease occurrence that may require further investigation. We also determine the cause of death for critically endangered native plants and animals.

Early warning

Community-wide general surveillance systems like this are proven to give the best early warning of the:

arrival of exotic pests or diseases

mutation of established diseases into a more dangerous form.

Specialised programmes

MPI has 13 targeted programmes that focus on specific biosecurity risks. These include high-risk pests, high-risk locations, and vulnerable groups of plants and animals – on land or in water. (Click on a topic box to read more).

Risk

Bees supply an export honey industry worth more than $200 million, while helping pollinate crops and native flora. Their health has far-reaching impacts on the local economy and environment.

History

Colony collapse overseas is raising awareness of bee health around the world. Several suspected outbreaks of exotic pests and disease are investigated in New Zealand each year.

Surveillance

Apiary inspections

More than 300 apiaries are investigated every year from about 20 high-risk sites across New Zealand. In each of these apiaries, authorised persons inspect each hive, lay and check mite traps, and send a sample of adult bees to the lab for testing. A further 300 bee samples a year are taken from beekeepers who supply export markets. These are tested for external and internal mites.

Education and reporting

Beekeepers are educated on pests and diseases through The New Zealand Beekeeper magazine. In addition, all beekeepers are encouraged to report suspect cases to MPI using the pest and disease hotline. In 2014, 8 beekeeper reports triggered formal investigations. No new pests or diseases were found.

Keeping track

MPI partners with AsureQuality to maintain a register of all New Zealand apiaries – recording important statistics that assist in our biosecurity planning and preparedness.

Find out more

Watching for virus-transmitting midges (Culicoides) and the diseases they spread.

Diseases include:

Bluetongue virus

Epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus

Akabane disease virus.

Risk

Arboviruses cause diseases and illness in many animals, including sheep, goats, cattle and deer. An outbreak would expose New Zealand to trade restrictions.

History

Disease-spreading Culicoides aren't present in New Zealand but they could arrive on strong winds from Australia.

Surveillance

Every year, we test hundreds of cattle from areas where Culicoides could establish to ensure they don't have arboviruses. Midge traps are also set from February to April so we're aware of any Culicoides arrivals. Vets are encouraged to report suspected arbovirus cases to our pest and disease hotline.

Find out more

Risk

Arhopalus destroys pine logs and is a biosecurity risk to countries we trade with, such as Australia.

History

First spotted in 1963, Arhopalus is thought to have arrived in New Zealand in the 1950s. It is found across the North Island and in the extreme north of the South Island.

Surveillance

By watching Arhopalus closely, we're able to determine when adult insects enter their annual flight season – and when that season ends. Exporters take extra steps to guard against infestation of timber and logs during this period.

Find out more

Watching for about 100 species, including Queensland, Oriental and Mediterranean fruit flies.

Queensland fruit fly infests a wide range of commercial crops.

Risk

Considered the world's worst fruit-crop pest, fruit fly larvae make fruit inedible. If the fruit fly established, it would expose New Zealand to trade restrictions from many countries.

History

Since 1989, this surveillance programme has detected fruit flies in New Zealand 9 times, most recently in February 2015. A combination of eradication programmes and ongoing surveillance has allowed New Zealand to remain fruit-fly free.

Surveillance

A national network of 7,600 pheromone traps are set around likely points of entry, such as city gardens, airports, seaports and cargo facilities. Monitoring occurs from September to June each year. Captured flies are visually examined and, if needed, diagnostically tested to ensure they're not harmful species.

Surveillance around Grey Lynn, Auckland, was more intense in 2015 while MPI eradicated a small population of Queensland fruit flies.

Find out more

Watching for pests and diseases of forests, urban trees, orchards and native bush.

Risk

Organisms that attack trees can limit productivity and cause trade restrictions for our multibillion-dollar forestry and horticulture industries. They also threaten native ecosystems and trees in gardens and parks.

History

Each year, exotic organisms arrive that could affect New Zealand forestry. The burnt pine longhorn beetle (Arhopalus ferus) is an example of an organism that has established here, causing trade restrictions for some forestry exports.

Surveillance

About 7,000 annual inspections are carried out on trees in high-risk areas – next to airports, seaports, cargo facilities and popular tourist spots. Suspect material is sent to labs for diagnostic analysis. About 2 to 5 exotic organisms are found and dealt with each year.

Risk

History

New Zealand eradicated a scrapie outbreak in 1952. A disease outbreak now would be more difficult to contain, given the increased movement of stock and people around the country.

Surveillance

Initial Investigating Vet (IIV) is a national network of vets on standby to respond to an emergency disease outbreak. They will assess and treat suspect animals as directed by New Zealand's duty incursion officer and lead a national response if a case is confirmed.

IIVs are part of the National Biosecurity Capability Network, a group of 142 organisations and 55,000 people ready to respond to a biosecurity threat.

Find out more

Risk

Marine pests can threaten native species, affect fisheries and aquaculture, and destabilise local ecosystems. Organisms can arrive in ships' ballast water, on the hulls of boats or on infrastructure like drilling rigs and other marine equipment.

Surveillance

Ports of entry

Six thousand sites across New Zealand's 11 most heavily used ports and marinas are checked twice a year through a combination of trapping, underwater searches and shore searches. Any finds that can't be identified as local species are sent to labs for testing.

Fiordland

A fragile and unique marine environment, Fiordland is considered an international treasure. MPI, the Department of Conservation, and Environment Southland have developed a joint plan for responding to biosecurity threats in the region.

Risk

Accurate and timely identification of suspected pests is critical to mounting a successful response. However, the enormous biodiversity evident within our marine environments can complicate and slow that process.

History

Several pests have already established in New Zealand waters and another new species is found every year. The unexplored nature of our marine environments means that specialist taxonomic expertise is needed to understand these new species.

Surveillance

Formed by MPI and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, the Marine Invasives Taxonomic Service provides access to leading taxonomists from around the country and the world. This resource speeds up the identification of suspected pests and has helped identify more than 70,000 samples since 2005.

Find out more

Watching for disease-carrying mosquitoes that can affect human and animal health.

Risk

The southern saltmarsh mosquito (Aedes camptorhynchus) can infect humans with Ross River virus. The condition inflames joints and muscles, leading to severe discomfort and significant time away from work.

History

An established southern saltmarsh mosquito population was found in Hawke's Bay in 1998, followed by similar discoveries across the country. It took 12 years and $70 million to eradicate the pest.

Surveillance

Mosquitos and larvae are sampled each year to ensure exotic species have not arrived. Samples are taken from high-risk areas next to national ports of entry and saltmarsh habitats. New Zealand has been free of the southern salt marsh mosquito since 2010.

Risk

TSEs are degenerative neurological diseases that can transmit between species and have been known to infect humans. Affected animals must be destroyed. Outbreaks trigger trade bans.

History

New Zealand has never had BSE or CWD. A 1952 scrapie outbreak was eradicated with the destruction of several sheep flocks.

Surveillance

TSE

Vets submit hundreds of samples a year from cows, sheep and deer that have shown signs of neurological disease. MPI-affiliated labs analyse those samples to ensure there's no TSE. Random samples are also taken from meat processing plants when animals are slaughtered. All imported animals are tested. This data supports New Zealand's TSE-free status.

Feed

A related programme audits 40 animal feed products each year to ensure they don't contain any protein from ruminant animals. That sort of contamination has been responsible for the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in other countries.

Status

As a result of these measures, New Zealand remains TSE-free and has been assessed as having the lowest possible risk of outbreak by the World Organisation for Animal Health.